Radio 4 Long Wave Switch Off

[madires]

... also called CDNs. From my experience, multicast is more of a niche application than mainstream. The protocols involved to make multicast work aren't simple and can cause a headache when crossing networks (AS). Things improved over the years, but many networks are still afraid of multicast.

[Ranayna]

Yeah, multicast is a single provider thing.
As far as i know, the german Telekom uses multicast for their IPTV service. They offer linear TV over IP, and that is provided via multicast.

[tom66]

But individual streams, like Netflix or any other video on demand stream, can't conceivably be multicast. Large providers will have dedicated cache servers though, so that the data for popular shows won't have to travel many times around the world.

Netflix has a policy where they will provide caching servers for free to any decently sized ISP; it's a win-win for both parties: better customer experience (so more subscribers), and ISPs aren't going to have to spend as much on their backhaul.

https://openconnect.netflix.com/Open-Connect-Briefing-Paper.pdf

I suspect other streaming services have similar policies.

[paul cotter]

The LW transmitter is still on today although not good for listening as there was very frequent lightning interference.

[radiolistener]

Yes, it's still on the air, although it does seem a bit noisier than it used to be. Maybe they reduced the transmitter power slightly, or perhaps the transmitted signal has become a little noisier.

That said, on LW most of the interference nowadays actually comes from your local household electronics and the power grid, especially cheap switch-mode power supplies with little or no EMI filtering. Moving the antenna outside the house and adding common-mode chokes to the feedline usually makes a huge difference.

[Zero999]

The LW transmitter is still on today although not good for listening as there was very frequent lightning interference.

That doesn't help, but I thought that would only affect local reception.

Yes, it's still on the air, although it does seem a bit noisier than it used to be. Maybe they reduced the transmitter power slightly, or perhaps the transmitted signal has become a little noisier.

That said, on LW most of the interference nowadays actually comes from your local household electronics and the power grid, especially cheap switch-mode power supplies with little or no EMI filtering. Moving the antenna outside the house and adding common-mode chokes to the feedline usually makes a huge difference.

Could it be weather related? There has a been a heatwave over Western Europe over the last week. Perhaps the high humidity and the effects of the high pressure system on the ionosphere is affecting radio propagation?